Stretcher for garments



Jan. 26, 1937. A. J. NEWTON STRETCHER FOR GARMENTS Filed May 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 26, 19-37. A. J. NEWTQN 2,09,015

I STRETCHER FOR GARMENTS l Filed May 27, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRETCHER FOR GARMENTS Arthur James Newton, Bishopsway, Andover, England 5 Claims.

My present invention relates to stretchers for creasing trousers and other suitable garments. The object of my present invention is to provide a compact and foldable type of garment stretcher in which the requisite tension is obtained without excessively straining the garment. Another object of this invention is to provide a form of trousers or like stretcher in which the garment can be readily placed in position without the necessity of having to employ a panel or board upon which to stretch the garment and also without the necessity of pressing the garment between a pair of panels or boards. A still further object of this invention is to provide a form of trousers stretcher which will simultaneously stretch thertrousers and be folded into a compact space considerably less in length than the length of the trousers so it can be packed in a compact space.

A practical form of my invention is intended for use in the stretching of trousers, and comprises three parallel transverse members spaced from each other, the intermediate member serving as a pivotal support for the opposed ends of two pairs of leaf springs, one pair of leaf springs being bridged at ends remote from the intermediate transverse member by one end transverse member, the other pair of leaf springs being likewise bridged by the remaining end transverse member, the said leaf springs having disposed across them near the ends remote from the intermediate transverse member or a pair of bars each adapted to bear by one edge against an end of the garment, the arrangement being that the ends of the garment are engaged under the appropriate edges of the said bars and are carried over the end transverse members so that the central part of the garment is drawn across the intermediate transverse member, whereupon one pair of leaf springs with its transverse member and bar and appropriate end of the garment are swung into the other pair of leaf springs so as to place the garment under tension.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect I have appended herewith two sheets oi drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof and wherein:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing the stretcher in the open position,

Fig. 2 is a section of a side elevation view showing the stretcher in the operative folded position with a pair of trousers stretched therein, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the device folded and stretching a pair of trousers,

Referring to the drawings the device shown is suited for stretching trousers, but other garments may be stretched therein, or its dimensions may be varied during manufacture should it be required for stretching other garments. It com- 5 prises three transverse rods I, 2 and 3 preferably of circular section and arranged parallel with each other, the rods I and 2 being wider apart than the rods 2 and 3. The garment to be stretched, which is shown as comprising a pair 10 of trousers 4 is adapted to be passed near its ends over the end bars I and 3 as indicated at Ia and 3a respectively in Fig. 2. The rod I is preferably substantially longer than the rod 3 and therefore the wider end of the garment would 15 be carried over the rod I, and in this respect the waist end of the garment is indicated in Fig. 2 at 4a, and the lower end of the garment is indicated at 4b.

'Ihe rod I bridges the free ends of a pair of 20 leaf springs 5, and the rod 3 bridges a further pair of leaf springs 6, these two pairs of leaf springs being pivoted to the ends of the intermediate rod 2 by screws 1 or other suitable securing members passed through the inner ends 25 of the springs 5. The springs 5 and 6 are bowed,

a suitable arrangement consisting of bowing the springs 5 outwardly and the springs 6 inwardly as shown in Fig. l, and thereby the springs 5 and 6 readily adapt themselves to variations in 30 tension applied to the garment. By this means excessive strain on the garment is obviated, but

at the same time the strength of the springs 5 and 6 is such that they yieldingly oppose the tension on the garment an amount sucient to en- 35 sure adequate stretching for creasing the garment.

The garment is secured in position by carrying the waist end Ila under a transverse bar 8 disposed across the springs 5 and carrying the lower end 4b 40 over the opposite edge of another transverse bar 9 as shown in Fig. 2. By this means the upper end of the garment becomes interposed between the edge of the bar 8 and the part of the garment below the part which is engaged by the bar 8, con- 45 sequently the greater the tension on the garment the more firmly is the garment held in position. The lower part of the garment which engages the bar 8 is interposed between such bars and a part of the garment which is stretched across the rods 50 2 and 3. To avoid injury to the garment and also the provide frictional engagement with the garment, the bars 8 and 9 have their garment engaging edges lined with strips of rubber or other Suitable material, 8a and 9a respectively. 55

The bar 8 is preferably hingedly supported to facilitate engagement with the appropriate. part of the garment, and for this purpose it may be hinged as at I0 to a metal II bridging the springs 5, the ends of the bar I I being cranked as at IIa to raise the hinges I8 sufficiently to provide the desired freedom of movement for the bar 8. The hinges of the bar 8 are so arranged that when the tension of the garment operates upon the bar, the upper edge of the bar 8 will abut against the bar II as shown in Fig. 2, it being understood that the tension or pull of the garment is in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2V in relation to the bar 8.

In using the device the narrow end of the garment can be engaged under the bar 9 and then carried upwardly over the top of the rod 3 (looking at Fig. 1) and from thence carried under the rods 2 and I, then over the rod I and finally under the bar 8. In this operation the garment would be under no tension but preferably would not be slack and consequently the garment would be stretched by swinging the rod 3 with its springs 6 into the space I2 within the springs 5, rod 2 and bar 8. In its folded position the device can be secured by engaging a nger I3 pivoted to the metal bar 8 over the part of the garment engaging the rod 3 as shown in Fig. 2. The finger I3 can be extended beyond its pivot to form a hook I4 by which the folded device can be suspended.

By means of the present invention it will be seen that the rod I and springs 5 comprise one frame, and the rod 3 and springs 6 comprise another frame which can be folded into the first mentioned frame, and in folding one frame into the other the garment is placed under tension.

What I claim isz- 1. A garment stretcher comprising three parallel transverse members spaced from each other, two pairs of endwise disposed leaf springs, the intermediate member serving as a pivotal support for the opposed ends of the two pairs of leaf springs, one pair of leaf springs being bridged at ends remote from the intermediate transverse member by one end transverse member, the other pair of leaf springs being likewise bridged by the remaining transverse member, a pair of bars disposed across the said leaf springs near the ends remote from the intermediate transverse member, said pair of bars each being adapted to bear by one edge against an end of the garment, and a transverse support to which one of said bars is pivotally connected.

2. A garment stretcher comprising three parallel transverse members spaced from each other, two pairs of endwise disposed leaf springs, the intermediate member serving as a pivotal support for the opposed ends of the two pairs of leaf springs, one pair of leaf springs being bridged at ends remote from the intermediate transverse member by one end transverse member, the other pair of leaf springs being likewise bridged by the remaining transverse member, a pair of bars disposed across the said leaf springs near the ends remote from the intermediate transverse member, said pair of bars each being adapted to bear by one edge against an end of the garment, and a transverse support to which one of said bars is pivotally connected, the distance between one outer transverse member and the intermediate transverse member being less than the distance between the other outer transverse member and inner transverse member.

3. A garment stretcher comprising three parallel transverse members spaced from each other, two pairs of endwise disposed leaf springs, the intermediate member serving as a pivotal support for the opposed ends of the two pairs of leaf springs, one pair of leaf springs being bridged at ends remote from the intermediate transverse member by one end transverse member, the other pair of leaf springs being likewise bridged by the remaining transverse member, a pair of bars disposed across the said leaf springs near the ends remote from the intermediate transverse member, said pair of bars each being adapted to bear by one edge against an end of the garment, a transverse support to which one of said bars is pivotally connected, the distance between one outer` transverse member and the intermediate transverse member being less than the distance between the other outer transverse member and inner transverse member, and an adjustable abutment carried by the said transverse support adapted to be engaged over the outer end of one of the transverse members when the stretcher is folded.

4. A garment stretcher comprising three parallel transverse members spaced from each other, two pairs of endwise disposed leaf springs, the intermediate member serving as a pivotal support for the opposed ends of the two pairs of leaf springs, onepair of leaf springs being bridged at ends remote from the intermediate transverse member by one end transverse member, the other pair of leaf springs being likewise bridged by the remaining transverse member, a pair of bars disposed across the said leaf springs near the vends remote from the intermediate transverse member, said pair of bars being adapted to bear by one edge against an end of the garment, a transverse support to which one of said bars is pivotally connected, the distance between one outer transverse member and the intermediate transverse member being less than the distance between the other outer transverse member and inner transverse member, an adjustable abutment carried by the said transverse support adapted to be engaged over the outer end of one of the transverse members when the stretcher is folded, and a hook on said abutment by which the stretcher can be suspended when folded.

5. A garment stretcher comprising three parallel transverse members spaced from each other, two pairs of endwise disposed side members, the intermediate member serving as a pivotal support for the opposed ends of the two pairs of side members, one pair of side members being bridged at ends remote from the intermediate transverse member by one end transverse member, the other pair of side members being likewise bridged by the remaining end transverse member, a pair of bars disposed across Vthe said side members near the ends remote from the intermediate transverse member, said pair of bars being adapted to bear by one edge against an end of the garment, one of said bars being adjustably supported for engaging and disengaging its said edge against and from the garment, said two pairs of side members with their transverse members being adapted to be folded one against the other to place the garment under tension and adapted to yieldingly oppose such tension.

ARTHUR JAMES NEWTON. y 

